Bell ringer



June 4, 1935. R. J, BURROWS ET AL 2,003,340

BELL RINGER Filed Feb. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W mam June 4, 1935. R: .J. suRows El AL,

BELL RINGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1935 Patented June 4,. 1935.

UNITED STATES OFFICE mm of Michigan Application February 15, 9st, Serial No. 656,908 1:; Giants. (01. 116-167) The present invention relates generally to 'sig naling means and has for its principal purpose the provision of an automatic signal or alarm in the nature of a bell and associated apparatus for 5 ringing the same, preferably continuously operated apparatus. 7

It has been found quite desirable to provide automatic signaling or alarm means for use on vehicles such as railroad cars, locomotives, rail cars, and the like, in which a signal is to be continuously sounded at intervals without requiring attention on the part of the operator. Such signaling or alarm means should be simple and eflicient and not likely to get out of order, and it should be such that merely pressings. button or performing a similar simple operation "starts or stops the actuation of the signal or alarm means. a w

A signaling means having thesecharafc'teristics is of special importance for use on rail cars and the like. V t t.

Briefly, therefore, it is the principal objectof the present invention to provide new and'improved signaling means. comprising a bell and automatic means for ringing the same; prefer? ably electrically driven ,apparatus,-'so constructed and arranged as tot be practically entirely enclosed by the bell itself to thereby form a convenient and compact assembly.

I Another object of the present invention is the Provision of a new and improved bell ringer embodying electrically driven apparatus carried or closely associated with the standard supporting the bell. v

These and other objects of the present, invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following description ofa preferred structural embodiment of the invention, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: 7 g F H I Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section taken through an automatic signal or alarm embodying the principles of the present invention, certain parts being shown in elevation and certain parts being shown in section; I g Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2,-2 'of Figure 1; a

. Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Fi ure is a m nt r rie u tratin h operation of the clapper actuating mechanism;

and

Figure 5 is a perspective of the guide for the push rod of the clapper actuating mechanism. Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figure 1, the reference numeral ll! indicates a bell of conventional form and construction, embody ing a barrel or body portion terminating at its lower end in a downwardlyand outwardly flared sound bow or lip 12 and having a shoulder portion l3 merging into a portion l4 serving as the ear of the bell, this portion being apertured and constituting means connecting the bell to the upper end of abell stand or supporting standard 15, the bell It) being secured thereto by one or more cap screws [6. The standard I5 is disposed in a generally vertical position and includes abase portion 20, a laterally disposed extension 2| thereof serving asjan'auxiliary base for supporting a driving motor 25 attached thereto by lugsor feet 26 and cap screws 21. The standard i5 is adapted to be supported upon the vericle orother object upon which the signaling means is to be carried by any known means, such as screws 28.

As best shown in Figure 3, the standard [5 comprises an H-shaped member having flanges 30 and 3!, a central web 32, and reinforcing ribs 33. Adjacent their upper extremities the flanged portions 30 and 3!. are joined, as indicated in Figure 2 by the reference numeral 35, the joined flanges extendingupwardly, as at 36, andrio'nnecting with. a horizontally disposed head 31 to which the bolts or cap screws 16 are secured. At the. ,upper end of the stand'ard the central .web 32 is apertured, as. at .40, to receive certain parts ofgthe clapper operating. mechanism to be described late'rg'. and adjacent .the opening 40 the flanges'3ll. and. .3! are extended to form ears/or brackets 43 and, 44 which terminate .in apertured bosses .45 and 48, in which is disposed .the bellclapper pin 48. A Thev clapper 50, which is keyed orotherwise securedtothe pin 48, comprises aclapper ball .5] threaded onto one end of a, rod or arm. 52 and secured thereto by ailock nut 53, the rod .52 being threaded into a boss 55 carried by or forminga part of a clapper bracket .56 (Figure 3 The rod 2 is securedin the boss 55 by a lock ,nut 59. Or the equivalent. 7 The clapper bracket 55 includes an arm portion 6! extending laterally of the standardhl5 and disposed between the, flanges .30 and}! and extending through the o'pening 40 in' the web 32. Abellclapper lever 65 alsoextends generally transversely of the standard. I 5y and is ke ed nmpne. e11d vofthe clapper pin Minrigid relationship with respect to the clapper 50 by means of a key 66 or the equivalent, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4. The bracket member 6| and the lever member 65, by virtue of the construction described above, both swing with the clapper 50 relative to the bell I0 and the standard I5.

The bell clapper lever or arm 65 is provided with an abutment projection or shoulder I5 and a hooked end 7 I, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4. Resilient means in the form of a tension spring I3, connected at its upper end with the hook II and at its lower end with a lug or ear I5 carried by the standard I5, serves to bias the clapper for movement in one direction with respect to the bell and its supporting standard. In the preferred construction, the parts are 50 arranged that the spring means l3 urges the clapper 50 toward the bell so that the clapper ball 5| thereof will strike the sound bow I2 of the bell.

As is well understood, the clapper 5| must be held out of contact with the lip I2 so as not to dampen the vibrations of the bell after it has been struck. The present invention provides a yielding abutment cooperating with the arm or bracket 6! for this purpose, in the preferred embodiment [the abutment comprising a spring pressed plunger carried in a plunger bracket 8| secured in a central position on the standard I5 by cap screws 83. At its lower end theplunger bracket 8| is provided with an adjusting nut which is threaded into the lower end of the bracket 8| andbears against a spring 86 which, in turn, abuts against a collar 81 formed on the plunger 88, whereby the latter is biased for upward movement with respect to the bracket 8|. The collar 87 also cooperates wlth the upper portion of the bracket 8! to limit the upward movement of the plunger 80, as will be clear from Figure 4. The lower portion of the bracket is split, as at 89, and a locking bolt 9| serves as'means for tightening the split portions to clamp the ad justing nut 85 in position to retain the desired adjustment. The plunger bracket 8| includes a flat plate portion 94 which receives the cap screws 83, and the flanges 30 and 3| are enlarged, as at and 91, to accommodate the cap screws. By virtue of this construction, the plunger bracket 8| is adapted to be rigidly connected with the bell stand or supporting standard |5.

The mechanism for swinging the clapper away from the bell and against the tension of the spring I3 so that, upon the return of the clapper to its original position, the bell will be struck and sounded, will now be described.

The standard I5 is formed with a transversely disposed bearing portion I00 extending between the flanges 30 and 3| and preferably formed integral therewith and with the intermediate web 32. The bearing portion I00 is adapted to receive the shank portion of a push rod guide I 0| which is provided with a head I02 at one end and a threaded reduced portion I03 at the other end, the threaded end receiving a nut I05 for holding the push rod guide in place in the standard and providing for its rocking movement therein, the nut abutting against the shoulder I06 on the guide so that the latter will not be prevented from rocking in the bell standard when the nut I 05 is tightened. I

Mounted on the head I02 of the plate |0I is a push rod IIO'in the form of a flat slotted member having rounded upper and lower ends and disposed in a generally vertical position on the standard I5. The member III! is slotted, as at III, to receive the head I02 of the push rod guide, the head being provided with laterally disposed flanges 2 bearing against the outer side of the push rod to hold the latter in place while permitting, by virtue of the elongated slot III, shifting movement of the push rod |I0 with respect to the guide IM and the standard H5.

The upper end of the push rod I0 is rounded and is adapted to engage with the abutment projection I0 to swing the lever or arm 55, thereby swinging the clapper away from the bell and against the tension of the spring "I3. The means for driving the push rod IIO comprises a crank I20 carried on the crank shaft I2| which is journaled for rotation in the bell stand or supporting standard I5. One end of the crank shaft is reduced, as at I23, and extends into a gear housing I25, preferably formed integrally with the lower part of the standard I5, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. A worm wheel I28 is keyed onto the reduced end I23 of the crank shaft and is secured thereon by a nut I29. A worm I3I meshes with the worm wheel I28 and is disposed within the gear housing I25, being mounted on and secured to a drive shaft I32 connected by a coupling I33 with the drive shaft of the motor 25, as shown in Figure 1. One wall of the gear casing I25 is formed to receive a bearing I35 which supports the outer end of the drive shaft I32 and takes the thrust incident to the operation thereof. The bearing I35 is preferably secured to the casing I25 by cap screws I36 or the equivalent. Access to the interior of the gear casing I25 is preferably secured by means of a closure plate I39 removably secured to the casing by cap screws I 40.

The operation of the device as described above is substantially as follows:

The motor 25 is controlled by any conventional switch mechanism (not shown), and when in operation the motor 25 drives the worm |3| to rotate the worm wheel 28 and the connected crank I2 I. The crank is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1, so that when the push rod H0 is shifted upwardly, this movement being permitted by virtue of the slotted connection with the push rod guide I 0| the push rod moves substantially vertically. At this time the rounded upper end of the push rod engages the abutment projection 'I0 on the lever 65 to swing the same in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 4. As the crank pin |2| approaches its upper position, the circular movement of the crank pin causes the upper end of the push rod guide III] to begin to move to the right, so that the upper end of the push rod IIO clears or moves off of the abutment 10. The disengagement of these parts permits the force stored in the spring I3 by the upward swinging of the lever 55 to swing the arm 65 downwardly, and the clapper 50 will thereupon be swung outwardly against the lip I2 of the bell II), the clapper ball 5| striking the bell with a sharp blow. This position is shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

As the spring I3 swings the clapper against the bell, the clapper bracket 6| also swings with the clapper and is brought into engagement with the spring pressed plunger 80. Normally, as shown in Figure l, the position of the plunger 80 is such that the clapper ball 5| is maintained out of contact with the bell so as not to dampen the vibrations of the bell, but when the lever 55 is suddenly released by the lateral movement of the up er end of the push rod J10 offpf the abutment 10, so that as a result thereof the clapper is swung outwardly toward the bell, the inertia of these parts causes the bracket, 6| to depress the plunger 89 against the tension of the spring 86, whereupon the clapper ball strikes the bell a sharp blow. As soon as this energy is expended the force of the spring 85, is sufiicient to urge the plunger upwardly which, acting through the bracket 6|, shiftsthe clapper away from the bell to hold the same in the spaced position mentioned above and shown in Figure 1. The extent of depression of the spring 86 under the force of the inertia of the clapper and associated parts is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4.

Itis important to note that while the path of movement of the crank pin l2l is a circle, the path of movement of the upper end of the, push rod H0 is in the nature of an ellipse having its longer axis disposed vertically and with its greater lateral dimension adjacent its upper portion, this resulting in the upper end of the push rod H6 moving at an increased rate as it moves upwardly against the abutment projection 10 and as it moves to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, away from the projection Til to permit the spring 13 to swing the clapper outwardly against the bell. This result occurs, as it will be understood, because of the shiftable connection of the lever I ID with the standard I 5 through the push rod guide 01, and provides improved operation in that the blows imparted to the bell are sharp, which improves the tone.

As mentioned above, the above describedsignal device is particularly adapted to be used on railroad cars, rail cars, and the like, in whichcase it is a simple matter to provide for theoperation of the device by any conventional switch mechanism, such as a push button or the equivalent, and any convenient source of electrical energy. As long as energy is supplied to themotor, the bell will be continuously sounded without any attention on the part of the operator other than to actuate the push mechanism to start or stop the operation of the bell. It will be understood, however, that our signal means may be employed at any place where an alarm or signal of this character is desired and that sources'of energy or power other than an electricmotor may be utilized.

While we have described above the preferred construction illustrating the principles of our invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that our invention is not to be limited to the specific means shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely diiTerent means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of our invention. a

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic alarm comprising a generally vertically disposed bell stand having means at its upper end to receive a bell, a clapper pivotally mounted on said bell stand, means defining a position for the clapper adjacent the lip of said bell, and comprising a member movable with said clapper and yieldable means connected directly with and reacting against said bell stand, and continuously operable means for driving the clapper including parts movably mounted upon said bell stand.

2. An automatic alarm comprising a vertically disposed standard, a bell clapper pivotally mount.-

ed thereon, a movable bracket carried by the clapper, yieldable means cooperating with said bracket and carried by said standard for defining a given position for said clapper, means establishing a force biasing said clapper for movement toward said yieldable means, motor driven connections for periodically displacing said clapper away from said position and against the tension of said means, and a bell supported in operative relation with said pivotally mounted clapper.

3. An automatic alarm comprising a generally vertically disposed bell stand having means at its upper end to receive a bell, a clapper mounted on said bell stand, a bracket movably carried by said clapper, means establishing a force biasing said clapper for movement toward said bell, said means being separate from said bracket, continuously operable means for periodically displacing said clapper against the force of said biasing means, and yieldable means carried by said standard and cooperating with said separate bracket fordefining the position for the clapper adjacent the lip of the bell, and a bell mounted on theupper end of said standard in a position adjacent said clapper and substantially embracing the clapper and said continuously operating means for driving the same.

4. An automatic alarm comprising a flanged vertically disposed standard, a bell mounted on the upper end thereof, said bell having the body portion thereof extending downwardly and embracing the standard, a clapper pivotally mounted on the flanges of said standard, a laterally extending, arm fixedly connected with the clapper, spring means biasing the clapper for movement toward the bell, stop means for the clapper, and means carried by the standard and acting against said arm for moving the clap-per against the tension of said spring means.

5. A signal device comprising a bell, a standard supporting the bell, a clapper pivotally mounted on said standard and biased for movement toward said bell, a shouldered arm secured to the clapper, and means for driving the clap,- per including a push rod shiftably mounted on the standard and engageable with and disengageable from the shouldered portion of said arm, the disengagement of the push rod from said shouldered portion permitting the bias of said clapper to swing the same against the bell. a

6. A signal device comprising a bell, a standard supporting the bell, a clapper pivotally mounted on said standard, a pair of spaced arms fixedly connected 1 with said clapper, spring means engageable with one of said arms for returning the clapper to a given position to strike the bell, and spring means disposed adjacent said first mentioned spring means for limiting the movement of said clapper toward said bell.

'7. A signaling device comprising a bell, means for supporting the bell, a clapper pivoted to said supporting means and including an arm, resilient means biasing said clapper for movement toward said bell to strike the same, means shiftably carried upon said supporting means and movable in one direction to engage the arm and shift the clapper against the force of said yieldingmeans and adapted to be moved out of engagement with said arm, and means for actuating said movably mounted means. I

8. A signaling device comprising a bell, a vertically disposed standard supporting said bell, a clapper pivotally mounted onsaidstandard and having an arm rigidly connected therewith, a pro jection carried by said arm, a generally vertically shiftable push rod movably mounted on said standard andshiftable vertically to engage the projection on said arm to swing the clapper in one direction, the projection engaging portion of said push rod being movable laterally to disengage said projection, spring means associated with said arm for swinging the cl'apperin the other direction when said arm is released to strike the bell, and continuously operating means for shifting said push rod. I

9. A signaling device comprisinga bell, a generally vertically disposed standard supporting said bell with the open mouth thereof disposed downwardly, a clapper pivotally connected with the standard adjacent its upper end, an arm inredly connected with said clapper, a spring biased between said arm and said standard and serving to cause the clapper to strike the bell, a bracket also fixedly connected with the clapper and movable therewith, yieldable means carried by said standard and cooperating with said bracket for determining the normal position of said clapper with respect to the bell, and means carried by said standard and cooperating with said arm for swinging the clapper away from the bell against the tension of the spring, said last named means being disengageable from the arm to permit said spring to swing the clapper into contact with the bell and against said yieldable stop means. Y

10. A signal device comprising a bell, a vertically disposed standard supporting said bell, a clapper pivotally connected with the standard and swingable with respect thereto to strike the bell, an arm member fixedly connected with the clapper to swing therewith, spring means associated with said arm member and connected with said standard for swinging the clapper relative to the bell, a bracket member also rigidly connected with said clapper, yieldable stop means carried by said standard and cooperating with said bracket member for yieldingly holding the clapper in slightly spaced relation with respect to the bell, and actuating means cooperating with one of said members for swinging the'clapper against the tension of said spring means.

11. A signal device comprising a bell, a vertically disposed standard supporting said bell and provided with laterally spaced flanges, apertured bosses carried by said flanges, a clapper pivotally connected with said standard and including a pin journaled in said bosses, a lever fixedly secured to said clapper pin adjacent one end thereof, spring means biased between the standard and one end of said lever for swinging the clapper with respect to the bell, a bracket fixedly secured to said clapper pin and disposed between said flanges, a spring pressed plunger carried by said standard and cooperating with said bracket to form a yielding abutment for spacing the clapper from the bell, a shiftable member carried by said standard and engageable with and releasable from said lever for swinging the clapper relative to the bell and the bracket away from said spring pressed plunger and against the tension of said spring means, the release of said lever by said shiftable member causing said spring means to swing the clapper against the bell, and means also carried by said standard for actuating said shiftable member. V

12. A signaling device comprising a bell, a standard supporting the same, a clapper pivotally mounted upon the standard and including a lever disposed transversely with respect to the standard, a vertically disposed push rod shiftable into and out of engagement with said lever, spring means associated with said lever and biasing said clapper for movement toward said bell, said push rod being engageable with said lever for moving the clapper away from said bell and against the force of said spring means, a crank journaled for rotation in said standard and connected with one end of said push rod for actuating the same, and a'motor for driving said crank.

13. A signaling device comprising a bell, a vertically disposed standard supporting the bell, a clapper pivotally mounted on said standard and swingable into engagement with the bell, an arm and a bracket movable with said clapper, said arm being provided with an abutment projection, spring means associated with said arm for biasing the clapper for movement toward said bell, a plunger bracket carried by said standard, a spring pressed plunger disposed therein and cooperating with said clapper bracket for defining a given position for the clapper with respect to the bell to hold the clapper away from the bell after the latter has been struck, a slotted push rod shiftably mounted on said standard and engageable at its upper end with the abutment projection on said arm, a push rod guide carried by said standard and disposed in the slot in-said push rod for guiding the movements of the latter, and a motor driven crank connected with the lower end of said push rod and arranged to project the push rod upwardly into engagement with the abutment projection on said arm for swinging the clapper away from the bell and also adapted to shift the upper end of said push rod out of engagement with said abutment projection to permit said spring means to swing the clapper into engagement with the bell.

14. A signaling device comprising a bell, a standard for supporting the bell, a pivotally mounted clapper swingable into and out of engagement with the bell, an arm movable with said clapper and provided with an abutment projection disposed adjacent said standard, a push rod movably carried by said standard and adapted to engage said abutment projection at its upper end to swing said clapper in one direction relative to the bell, spring means for swinging said clapper in the other direction, and means associated with the lower end of said push rod for actuating the same and arranged to impart reciprocatory and oscillatory movement to the push rod, the upper end of said push rod describing an elliptical path.

15. Striking mechanism for a hell or the like comprising a hammer-like member, supporting means onwhich said member is pivotally mounted, means biasing said member for movement in one direction, an arm fixedly connected with said member, a push rod slidably and rockably carried on said supporting means and having one end movable in one direction to engage said arm and shift said member against the force of said biasing means, said push rod being movable in another direction to free the end thereof from said arm to restore said member to the control of said biasing means, and means connected with the other end or" said push rod for actuating the same.

16. A signal device comprising a bell, a standard supporting the bell, a clapper pivotally mounted on said standard and having an arm secured thereto, a push rod shiftably mounted on the standard so that one end thereof describes an ellipse and so spaced from said arm that said end of the rod is engageable with a portion of said arm when moving in one direction generally along the major axis of the ellipse and disengageable when moving in one direction generally along the minor axis for swinging the clapper, and means for driving the push rod.

17. An automatic alarm comprising a vertically disposed standard, a bell clapper pivotally mounted thereon, a movable bracket carried by the clapper, yieldable means cooperating with said bracket and carried by said standard for defining a given position for said clapper, means establishing a continuously operable means for driving the clapper, and a bell supported in' operative relation with said pivotally mounted clapper.

13. An automatic alarm comprising a vertically disposed standard, a bell clapper pivotally mounted thereon, a movable bracket carried by the clapper, yieldable means cooperating with said bracket and carried by said standard for defining a given position for said clapper, means establishing a force biasing said clapper for movement toward said yieldable means, means for displacing said clapper away from said position and against the tension of said means, said mean-s releasing said clapper after a given extent of movement, and a bell supported in operative relation with said pivotally mounted clapper.

19. A signal device comprising a bell, astandard supporting the bell, a clapper pivotally mounted on said standard and having an arm secured thereto, a push rod shiftably mounted relative to the standard so that one end thereof describes an ellipse and is so spaced from said arm that said end of the rod is engageable with a portion of said arm when moving in a direction generally along one of the axes of the ellipse and is disengageable therefrom When moving in a direction generally along another of the axes of the ellipse for swinging the clapper, and means for driving the push rod.

ROBERT J. BURROWS. ALFRED .O. WILLIAMS. 

